In the ancient scrolls, long before the rise of the Illuminated Board, there's a certain element that those who read it learned to fear.
One event throws the world's logic upside down, and then, by altering one's fate, rulers lose their kingdoms, forbidden words lose all meaning, and entire species become doomed to disappear.
This event heralds the coming of a being, one who is chosen by the very sisters of fate to bring a great shift to the Will of the World and enforce the Natural End of all Things.
The Eclipse.
The last one the world saw was at the dawn of the Illuminated Board, a government that forced the entire known world to band together under a unique banner.
Now, however, comes the herald of a new age.
"No!" His scream tore through the heavens, his village burning to the ground as citizens kept running, chaos ensuing as his trials just began.
Close by, a girl who was his first sweetheart was in tears, seeing her father's hand, his body mangled beyond recognition.
Running, Ethan swept her off her feet and forced his legs to run as fast as he could. In a distant part of his mind, he noticed that he was running faster than ever, but couldn't care less about it now.
Finding the hen house, he hid her there, preparing himself to go back to seek more people to help.
"Wait… please, don't leave me!" Her hold has filled him with conflict, but he had to help. If he couldn't do anything here, then… he knew deep down that, if he folded here, in his first challenge, he would never become a Marble, nor truly free.
"Don't worry, I'll come back. But you need to stay hidden… Can you do that for me?" He begged, seeing her tears. With a shaky nod, she let go of his arm, allowing him to run back.
After exiting, he was ready to keep his search, when a heavy noise brought his attention.
Turning back, he saw the hen house completely smashed, a flesh golem stepping on the bloody remains of the girl, Maria.
"No…" The golem assessed him, looking deeply into his being, and turned back, his sights focused on a couple of kids… One of them being his youngest sister. "No!"
With a mighty yell, he picked a pipe of wood, running towards the golem as fast as his legs could carry him.
He was about to swing, when a bony fist sent him back, forcing his body against the wooden surface of another house.
Ethan forced his body to answer, his consciousness slipping as the blood kept leaking from the cut in his head.
Using the pipe as a walking cane, he recovered his balance and ran towards the flesh golem, bracing himself for the fight…
But he would not reach fast enough. The thing was already at the kids, ready to kill the poor things. His eyes widened, and then, a flash of light deflected the punch.
A man with the robes of a priest, carrying a sword of light, showed up. His trimmed hair of black, and his hazel eyes showed his anger at the accursed being.
And then, deflecting the attacks of the golem, he shifted his balance, cutting the thing in half.
Ethan's eyes, filled with relief, conveyed a great deal of gratitude.
The young priest got close and helped the young man to stand on his feet. When seeing his state, Inasa sighed and whispered a quick healing spell, powering it with the rune on his back.
The effect was instantaneous.
"Thanks…"
"Don't thank me yet…" Eyeing the pipe Ethan was holding, he sighed once more. "Can you fight?"
"Yes, mister." Ethan nodded, getting a smirk off of Inasa. With a quick gesture, the priest allowed the holy energy to flow from his fingers, drawing them into the pipe.
His rune allowed him to cast spells of holy nature without casting, providing extra energy for enchantments and all other sorts of use.
"Well, that is good to hear. Get these kids to safety… I'll search for more survivors."
"Yes, mister…"
"Inasa, just Inasa." Seeing the opportunity, they shook hands, with Ethan quickly saying:
"Ethan, just Ethan."
Then, both headed in opposite directions, Ethan guiding the children to another safe spot. They tried to stay hidden, but the carnage was too much for some to bear, and when a man got his corpse thrown, one boy, Alex, cried out.
"Daddy!"
Then, as if moths to the flame, the golems eyed them hungrily, their steps freezing Ethan as the same laughter from before echoed deep in the village.
"Shit. What do I do…" He tried to come up with a plan, but another golem went towards him faster than he could think, the mouth on the thing's belly salivating at the prospect of food.
He briefly considered running, but a look on his sister shot down that notion, forcing him to face ahead.
No… I don't have time to hesitate!
When a punch was thrown his way, Ethan executed the same deflection as Inasa did, and, shifting his weight the same way, he swung his impromptu sword towards the sky, cutting deeply into the golem's flesh.
The being gurgled, his eyes widening as death came close.
What… Ethan quickly recognized the movement he used, and, stepping forward, he shifted his legs again, cutting the golem in half. This move… It's the same as Inasa's.
Then, another Golem took place, forcing him to block an overhead swing of a bony ax.
Using both hands on the pipe, he groaned as the strength was far superior to his… but, applying another movement from Inasa, he shifted his hold and sidestepped.
Seeing that the distance wasn't enough, the boy instinctively jumped in the ax blunt side and executed the same overhead swing, bringing blood out of the beings.
Somehow, I'm copying their techniques… but…
At least, there was some hope to be found in this dire situation…
However, the Eclipse was still shining brightly in the sky.
Why do I feel like the worst part is yet to come?